Semiconductor transistors, in particular field-effect controlled switching devices such as a Junction Field-effect Transistor (JFET), a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-effect Transistor (MOSFET) and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) have been used for various applications including but not limited to use as switches in power supplies and power converters, electric cars, air-conditioners, and even stereo systems.
Improvement of reliability and robustness of semiconductor devices is an ongoing aim in the development of semiconductor device and particularly power semiconductor devices. Hot charge carriers generated during an avalanche breakdown may result in shifting of device parameters. Repetitive avalanche breakdowns may even result in premature device failure. Therefore, the properties of the semiconductor device during an avalanche breakdown influence the reliability and are subject for further developments. Furthermore, repetitive avalanche breakdowns frequently occur in demanding applications such as driving an inductive load and can render a device useless.
Accordingly, there is a need to improve field-effect semiconductor transistors and operating field-effect semiconductor transistors, respectively.